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The Batman franchise has seen its fair share of adaptations over the years. The Dark Knight has appeared on-screen in movies, TV shows, and numerous animated depictions. Every depiction captured a wide range of genres. There was the action hero Ben Affleck from Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), the mystery lead Robert Pattinson from The Batman (2022), and the comedian Will Arnett from The Lego Batman (2017). All of those clashing portrayals came within six years of each other, and each revealed a different side of Gotham's determined protector.

The Batman movies and shows did not begin with the DC Extended Universe, of course. The character was first adapted from the comics in a radio drama in 1945, but he has since debuted in a variety of other mediums. In animation, he has been portrayed by Olan Soule (The Adventures of Batman), Kevin Conroy (Batman Beyond), Diedrich Bader (Batman: The Brave and the Bold...

Lanterns has just received an exciting update. DC Studios and HBO have found a director to helm the first two episodes of the hotly-anticipated DC Universe series.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, James Hawes has been tapped to helm the first two episodes of Lanterns, which is expected to begin production in early 2025. Hawes is an established television director who has worked on hit series like Penny Dreadful, The Mist, The Alienist, Snowpiercer, and Black Mirror, among others. He most recently directed a string of episodes of Slow Horses, an Apple TV+ spy series starring Gary Oldman. Hawes also made his feature directorial debut last year with the biographical drama One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins as Nicholas Winton, a British man who saved hundreds of children during World War Two.

Related Joel Kinnaman Responds to Rumors of Rick Flag Jr.'s Return in Peacemaker Season 2

Joel Kinnaman addresses a recent...

DC Studios is ready to lock down an actor for the DC Universe's John Stewart. Aaron Pierre and Stephan James are reportedly DC's top picks to play the fan-favorite Green Lantern in the upcoming HBO limited series, Lanterns.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Snowfall star Damson Idris was also once on the shortlist but is no longer in contention. A decision on who will land the role of John Stewart could be made by the end of the weekend. Pierre, who previously appeared in the live-action DC series Krypton about Superman's grandfather, has been earning rave reviews for his performance in the Netflix thriller Rebel Ridge, which premiered on the streamer earlier this month. As for James, he has appeared in several critically acclaimed projects, like Selma (2014), Race (2016), and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018). He is also part of the ensemble cast for the upcoming Netflix drama film, The Piano Lesson,...

The classic Batman TV series inhabits a far larger universe than one might think. Starring Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin, the 1960s Batman TV series is famous for its intentionally campy portrayal of Batmans corner of the DC Universe, yet the show is undeniably a culturally impactful and comic-accurate adaptation of Batman. The series gave numerous Batman comic villains their live-action debuts (and created original ones who eventually made their way into the comics), turning obscure villains like The Riddler into mainstream Batman antagonists overnight.

Although the Batman TV series did not take itself too seriously, it is, ultimately, an authentic representation of the Batman comics of the Silver Age. Fittingly, given the crossover-heavy nature of the superhero genre, the Batman TV series establishes that Batman and Robin are not the only superheroes in their world. Along with their famous team-up with Green Hornet and Kato,...

The Flash is not necessarily one of the most high-profile characters in superhero movies right now, but throughout the history of the DC hero there have been many onscreen representations that have delighted the fans over the years. That includes, of course, animated shows and movies, but this article will focus on the live actions and the incredible actors that have taken on the role in different years.

Each of the actors that have had the chance to portray the superhero have done their very best and left their mark on the character. Let's go over them.

Rod Haase - Legends of the Superheroes (1979)

Long before the Avengers assembled for the first time there was Legends of the Superheroes. This television special gave the world the opportunity to see the first ever live action portrayal of The Flash, in this case played by actor Rod Haase. Barry Allen was just...

Barry Allen will have his first solo movie in the upcoming film The Flash, but Ezra Miller’s iteration is hardly the first live-action version of the Scarlet Speedster. The Flash has been a major DC Comics superhero since the Golden Age of comic books. Barry Allen and other iterations of The Flash have appeared in numerous live-action adaptations, making the hero one of DC’s most popular characters outside of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

Fascinatingly, Barry Allen’s introduction set DC Comics on a course toward a plethora of reboots and multiversal storytelling. Allen’s debut acknowledges Jay Garrick, prompting DC to later explain that the two heroes are each The Flash of their respective realities. Moreover, Barry Allen’s powers (later explained as a connection to a cosmic energy force known as the Speed Force) allow him to travel through time and into other realities, further popularizing the concept of the multiverse.

Ezra Miller's future as Barry Allen may not yet have been set by James Gunn or Warner Bros. Discovery, but The Flash’s director is very clear about what he would do if the decision is up to him.

After starring in a long list of scandals in recent years, Miller was criticized by a large portion of the DC fandom and audiences, with many calling for them not to continue playing the Scarlet Speedster and be replaced by Grant Gustin or some other. However, the film's release is just around the corner, and most of the early reviews are praising Miller's performance as Allen.

That's probably why Muschietti has no doubt that if he gets to make a sequel to The Flash, he couldn't do it with anyone other than Ezra. This was confirmed by the director on the podcast The Discourse (via Variety):

“If [a sequel] happens, yes.

The end of The Flash came and went after nearly a decade on television. The Arrowverse series has been ambitious in its storytelling and visual effects, using fully CGI characters on a television budget. It also has heart, showing the main characters' capacity for love and compassion as a superpower. Yet the greatest gift The Flash gave DC Comics fans was the return of John Wesley Shipp -- the first actor to play Barry Allen in a regular TV series.

Rod Haase originally played The Flash in Legends of the Superheroes, two 1979 television comedy specials. The Flash debuted in 1990, featuring special effects that were state of the art at the time, but paled compared to CW standards. It was the actor in the super-suit who made the series live on long beyond its single season. Shipp was cast as Barry Allen, and it was on his performance to make the series work.

The upcoming DC film The Flash will reportedly not include an appearance by Grant Gustin, proving that, unfortunately, the multiversal film has a stronger focus on Batman than its titular hero. The Flash will loosely adapt the 2011 comic storyline Flashpoint, having Barry Allen travel through time and the multiverse after an attempt to retroactively save his mother’s life goes awry. Although the film will adapt one of The Flash’s most famous comic storylines, its inclusion of multiple Batman actors and only one for The Flash indicates that it will not have a particularly strong focus on The Flash’s history across various mediums.

While Batman is one of the most popular DC characters of all time, with numerous live-action adaptations on film and TV, The Flash has had far less exposure in the realm of live-action superhero properties, despite his rich comic book lore. The Flash’s greatest...

There are a few phrases that no actor wants to hear.

For instance, if a director says "I have a lot of notes," it suddenly means the work day will potentially get a lot longer. "Thank you, we'll let you know" is not something a hopeful performer wants to hear from a casting agent immediately following an audition. Likewise, "We're looking for someone younger." Any one of these can cause great cracks in an actor's ego, which may be an actor's most prominent feature.

Most terrifying of all, however, might be "We can't see you as anyone other than Batman." This was something actor Adam West, according to a 2017 interview with Moviefone (the actor's last before his death) had said to himself a few times after "Batman" was canceled in 1969.

Typecasting, of course, isn't always a curse. Being typecast as a heavy or a villain, for instance, can sometimes assure...

Television super-producer Greg Berlanti’s ever-expanding screen interpretation of the DC Comics Universe is going cosmic with two new series for the HBO Max streaming platform: Strange Adventures and a Green Lantern-inspired show.

“Both of these original DC properties we’ll be creating for HBO Max will be unlike anything seen on television,” said Berlanti, who announced both projects Tuesday at the HBO Max WarnerMedia Day presentation. “An anthology series of cautionary tales set in a world where superpowers exist, and, in what promises to be our biggest DC show ever made, we will be going to space with a Green Lantern television series, but I can’t reveal any more about that just yet.”

The cryptic references will stir plenty of speculation among DC fans. The Green Lantern is one of the most enduring superheroes in the DC Comics publishing history, dating back to the Fdr years. The...

The more we learn about the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event, the cooler it looks to be. In case you hadn’t heard, this past weekend brought news confirming that not only is Lamonica Garrett playing the villainous Anti-Monitor, but also that Brandon Routh will suit up as Kingdom Come Superman.

If that weren’t enough, Deadline reports that the iconic Burt Ward will also be stopping by during the prime time extravaganza. This is especially exciting because Mr. Ward continues to define Robin, the Boy Wonder for fans of all ages, as the Batman TV series from the 1960’s still serves as a gateway to the superhero genre for people all over the globe.

Now, we advise that you take the next bit with a grain of salt because it hasn’t been confirmed by the network as of yet, but Cosmic Book News said they learned from...

Adam West, the actor best known for his role as Batman in the 1960s television series, has died at the age of 88 from a battle with leukemia late on Friday night. West's family shared a statement with Variety to confirm the news. The family offered this to fans.

"Our dad always saw himself as the Bright Knight, and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans' lives. He was and will always be our hero."

For many, Adam West was their introduction to the world of Batman, and for some, he was the only Batman that mattered. One of West's many talents as an actor was not taking himself too seriously. He could keep a straight face through the most absurd moments, while keeping the fun going on the campy 60's television show. He could surf with the joker, dance with Catwoman while doing the "Batusi," campaigning for mayor of Gotham alongside the Penguin,...

Adam West, the actor known for playing the title role in the 1960s television series Batman, died Friday after a short battle with leukemia, his family confirmed to Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and the BBC. He was 88.

“Our dad always saw himself as The Bright Knight and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans’ lives. He was and always will be our hero,” his family said in a statement.

The actor is best remembered for his turn as Gotham’s Caped Crusader — though his career spanned six decades of film, stage and voice work.

Born William West Anderson on Sept.

With Season 3 of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on the horizon, it’s time to look back at its previous live-action Legends TV offering: Legends of the Superheroes. And what a line-up of legends! The Flash! Black Canary! Hawkman! Green Lantern! Captain Marvel! The Huntress! And even… Batman and Robin! With a team like that, who […]

The post Good Grief! DC’s Legends Of The Superheroes ’79 Is Painful To Watch appeared first on Fortress of Solitude.

At least now we know why they wear masks.

Take another look at The Dark Knight before you watch Legends of the Superheroes. Revel in its thematic complexity, expertly plotted action, narrative sophistication and performances from the best actors in the world. It will help you appreciate just how far comic book adaptations have come from… well, from this. Hit the jump for my complete review.

Legends of the Superheroes exists in the same circle of hell as The Star Wars Holiday Special: a perverse curiosity so mind-numbingly awful that it achieves a bizarre sort of perfection. To look upon it is to flirt with madness; you don’t so much watch as gape in saucer-eyed disbelief that real, actual grown-ups signed off on such a mess. It stems from an era when “children’s entertainment” served as an excuse for all matter of creative sins, from shoddy production...

The 1970s was not a kind decade for live-action television based on comic book heroes. First there was the Cathy lee Crosby misfire of a Wonder Woman telefilm then there were the Reb Brown Captain America telefilms. Spider-Man made it to prime time as a series but it didn’t resemble the comic in tone or style and died a swift death. But the absolute most mind-numbing and cringe worthy hours featured DC Comics’ stalwart heroes and villains.

I’ve never seen an NBC executive explain what made them think the two specials that aired in January 1979. The Challenge and The Roast, aired as Legends of the Superheroes, were probably the first time mass audiences were introduced to Green Lantern or Flash or Hawkman but they certainly knew Adam West’s Batman, Burt Ward’s Robin and Frank Gorshin’s delightful Riddler. As a result, the aging trio donned the...